Virgin Atlantic staff trained to whisper to put fliers at ease

The UK airline is training its flight attendants in the art of speaking quietly in time for the launch of its Upper Class Dream Suite.

We’ve covered a wealth of innovations designed to help frequent flyers enjoy a more relaxing experience at the airport — the Sleepbox being just one notable example — and we recently came across an effort from Virgin Atlantic which is hoping to make the in-flight experience as peaceful as possible as well. The airline is now training its flight attendants in the art of whispering in time for the launch of its Upper Class Dream Suite. Set to be made available to the public in May, one of the aims of the premium ticket tier will be to enable transatlantic passengers to travel without being distracted by loud noises. Staff are being coached to speak between 20 and 30 decibels – normal speech usually sits in between 60 and 70 decibels — while passengers will also be able to enjoy luxury seats which fold flat into beds, already a common feature with higher-price air travel. Lights are dimmed and the new cabins will be buffered to stop sounds from other passengers coming through the walls. Along with voice training, flight attendants will also be taught how to wake up passengers and read their body language. Although not a standard in-flight feature, Virgin Atlantic has grasped the need for attention to detail by providing staff training with a difference. Could your brand improve its customer service in a similarly unique way?